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Hart tabs veteran Derby pitcher

Hart tabs veteran Derby pitcher

MILWAUKEE -- What jockey Calvin Borel is to the Kentucky Derby, Sandy Guerrero could be to the State Farm Home Run Derby. At least that's what Kentucky-born Brewers outfielder Corey Hart is hoping.

Hart has tabbed Guerrero, the hitting coach at the Brewers' Triple-A Nashville affiliate, to serve as his pitcher in Monday's Home Run Derby. Guerrero is a veteran of the event and helped fellow Brewers slugger Prince Fielder win it last year in St. Louis.

"Maybe he can be my [Borel]," Hart said of Guerrero, his former manager at Double-A Huntsville. "He throws it straight, and he can throw it where he wants to throw it. He's one of those guys who you can tell where you want it, and it's right there nine times out of 10. He can find your swing."

Hart has long enjoyed watching the Home Run Derby on television and took part in a Class A Minor League version of the event in 2002 in Wilmington, Del.

"I only hit one home run, but that's OK because the winner only hit two before weather cut it short," Hart said. "We didn't get to pick our pitcher then, and the guy doing it was throwing nothing but hard cutters. It was unbelievable. I'm just excited to go out there and have fun with it next week."

Hart was the event's first confirmed participant Sunday, and Major League Baseball announced five more Tuesday: the Cardinals' Matt Holliday from the National League, and the Tigers' Miguel Cabrera, the Yankees' Robinson Cano, the Red Sox's David Ortiz and the Blue Jays' Vernon Wells from the American League.